Air pollution causes 40,000 deaths a year

Councillor Colin MacAlister will put forward the ‘no-idling’ motion to Stockport Council, insisting that ‘small changes’ such as drivers cutting their engines outside school could ‘drastically improve’ air quality in the borough.

MacAlister said: “All of the evidence shows that we need to improve air quality, particularly around our schools.

“For example, contract school buses often sit with their engines running whilst waiting for the school day to end, pumping harmful gases into the environment. Car drivers need to play their part, too.

“We need action by the council and Transport for Greater Manchester to educate people through a proper public awareness campaign, and this needs to be backed by fair enforcement measures.”

£20 fines for idling

The new ‘no-idling’ motion will allow local authorities to hand out £20 fine for any motorist failing to switch their engine off when stationary for two minutes or more.

The Lib Dems are also calling for the council to use civil enforcement officers and anti-social parking cameras as part of the effort to crack down on idling motorists.

Councillor Becky Senior, who is supporting the motion, said the problem wasn’t just around schools, with motorists around other public spaces like stations also leaving their engines running.

She said: “We are asking for officers to do a comprehensive assessment of where No Idling Zones should be introduced across Stockport to have the most impact and to then deploy the existing civil enforcement officers and the anti-social parking camera car to enforce them.”